LONG BEACH : Street to Be Closed to Keep Traffic Out of Upscale Area

Brushing aside allegations of elitism, the Long Beach City Council has voted to close Pioneer Boulevard to keep traffic out of the upscale El Dorado Park Estates on the city’s east side.

The council decided on a 5-1 vote Tuesday to erect the traffic barrier for at least one year at Long Beach’s border with Hawaiian Gardens, a city with a predominantly blue-collar, Latino population.

Allegations of racism have surrounded the closure, and the issue has caught the attention of talk show host Phil Donahue. The dispute and some of those involved with it are to be featured on today’s “Donahue.” A similar conflict between two New Jersey cities also will be discussed.